Illinois EPA Hosts Hazardous Household Waste Collection Saturday, June 10

OAK FOREST, IL -- South suburban residents can get rid of their hazardous wastes this Saturday, June 10, by dropping them off in the Oak Forest Public Works lot located at 158th and Lorel Avenue. The lot will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is one of two biannual events coordinated by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in the spring and fall.

The U.S. EPA considers some leftover household products that can catch fire, react, or explode under certain circumstances, or that are corrosive or toxic as household hazardous waste. Products, such as paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides can contain hazardous ingredients and require special care when you dispose of them.

In Cook County, Oak Forest and Schaumburg are hosting household hazardous waste collection events this month. Schaumburg’s collection is June 24. The service is FREE.

ACCEPTABLE ITEMS: oil based paints, used motor oil, herbicides, pesticides, drain cleaners, old gasoline, lawn chemicals, antifreeze, fluorescent lamp bulbs, cleaning products, mercury, household batteries, and outdated medicine.

NOT ACCEPTED: latex based paints, agricultural chemicals, propane tanks, smoke detectors, explosives, fireworks, lead acid batteries, fire extinguishers, sharps, needles and potentially infectious medical waste.